


The Fleeting Summer Spirit

by Helei



Category: Bright Star (2009)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 05:59:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16011725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helei/pseuds/Helei
Summary: John's friend Brown pays a prostitute to help Keats focus on his writing and less on Fanny. During their interaction, they learn the two types of poverty.





	The Fleeting Summer Spirit

"John, there is someone here to meet you." Brown beamed as he opened the door. "Come on in," he whispered to the figure who stood outside. "Charles, I told you no to disturb me when I am in the midst of writing," John complained as he came down. He was wearing an open white button down shirt with a blue embroidered vest on top. He was wearing new black trousers. "We both know that you were writing another letter to the girl. You have not written a single line of poetry since we got here. Now let me introduce you to Tabitha." Brown said as he motioned to the figure at the door. 

There stood a pail skinny woman. She had a long curly nest of blond hair. Her eyes were the color of milk chocolate. Underneath them were large dark circles, which reinforced her protruding cheekbones. She had a thin neck which was covered by long necklaces of different shape and color. She had a small bosom. She wore a long floating dress that captured the shape of her breast that was the color of violets. She smelled of lavender and whiskey. Her shoes had mud stains on them. 

"How do you do sir," she whispered. "Isn't she pretty, a friend introduced me to her, she is quite charming. Now go ahead." Brown pushed her towards John. "Lead the way, John." Tabitha gently grabs his hand. John's hand jumped when he came into contact with the cold rings on her fingers. They walked to his room, he closes the door behind him. "Listen, you do not have to do anything if you do not wish to. I am sorry about my friend." John said placing his hands in a prayer position. Tabitha walked around the small room. She examined the bookshelf. Her hands caressed the bindings. She then spotted the desk that he was writing at. She glanced over the crumpled pieces of paper. "Are you a writer, " she asked not raising her eyes to meet his. "A poet actually," he corrected. "Is there a difference?" she asked as she turned to face him. "Well, a writer just writes, a poet uses phrases and different parts of the English language to express what they feel or what is happening," John tried to explain. "Well, whatever it is, you seem to be paid well," she said as she motioned around the room. "Oh this, this is not my home. A friend of mine who provides for me in terms of publication, lets me rent the place during the summer." John said as he blushed at the thought that he could by this home.

"what do you mean provides," Tabitha asked, her eyebrows coming together. "Well, I do not make enough fortune to provide for myself, so I must ask others to help me. In return, I write and give some of the money that I receive to them." John said as he sat down in his chair. Tabitha looked around the room and tried to put all the information together. "So people give you money to do something that you enjoy," she stated to him. "Some but not a lot." he shook his head. "I am still a penniless poet as they say."

"Do you have to write what they tell you to write?"

"My friend thinks that I should, but I write what I want."

"But what about the money, if you don't write, then they don't give you the money correct?"

"Yes, that is why I only have a little bit of fortune and a few partners. I just require my paper, my pen and my mind to live, in this rough life of ours." 

"These partners, they feed you and house you at times?"

"Yes, it is like your profession."

Tabitha stood up from the bed that she was sitting on, walked over to John and put both of her hands on the armrest. "Like my profession, what do you know about my profession, good sir."  
"Well, you go around and do what you like to men, any men that you choose. You tret them any way you choose. In turn, they give you food, jewelry, a bed to rest on, clothes and you choose the rate of payment. I also know that if you do not approve of the man, you can leave." John said as he gulped. 

"What I like to men, a bed, some food, and choosing, what are you going on about." Tabitha stood up and stormed around the room. "Do you honestly think that the men that I see provide me with food and with a bed. We meet on the street go to his home, close the door and then I run out of his home before his wife arrives. Without even a piece of bread. We have to do what they like, what they want. They say sit we sit, they say suck we suck. Then they pay us. They don't pay us with jewelry or with cloths. We have to get that yourself. We have to get nice ones so that men will find us desierable. They pay only what they think that I deserve. Since they know I do not know how to count." 

"What about your speech, you seem to talk rather well," John asked trying to calm the situation. "The men that I meet are educated men they speak while I am with them. They have writings up on the walls. My father also taught me a little bit before pushing me into the streets so that there could be enough food for my brother."  
"Furthermore..

Tabitha walked towards John and grabbed his bulge in his pants. She started to rub it gently up and down. With her other hand, she took John's hand and put it on her breast. "W... wha... what are you doing?" John yelped as he tried to push away from the situation.  
"Oh, the thing that I like to do with men. You see instead of writing down my thoughts I have to use my body to receive money. I have to have men touch me in any way they want." She pressed her lips against John's lips. She inserted her tongue into his mouth and swished it around. John closed his eyes and with his free hand placed it behind her neck and pushed in deeper.  
Tabitha parted from his mouth, drool coming from both of their lips. "Do you think that I enjoy this, no I do not, not one bit. But I have to since I am a young woman with no true learning and skill. I have to go to this, the only thing that does not need any learning. She removed her hand from his bulge, which was now erected and his hand, gathered her things. She turned around to face John who was still in shock. 

"And your friend called you a gentleman. I asked you about what you did, I never assumed. I thought that you would be nice enough to do the same. On another note, you are not a penniless poet. You have no idea what the word penniless means. Not truly. You never had to go for days without food or a soft bed. You never had to trade your body for some bread. So no sir your life is not rough. Have a lovely life."

 

She shut the door behind her and stormed down the stairs.


End file.
